Using a ThinkPad X61s in 2020(ikarios.wordpress.com) |
Using a ThinkPad X61s in 2020(ikarios.wordpress.com) |
It's the last model with the old-style 7 row keyboard, and when my display cable flaked out in 2012, IBM(!) was still in charge of honoring the warranty. I got a box shipped to me that I put the laptop in, it got overnighted for repairs, and overnighted back. It's a chunky and hefty device by today's standards, but that's part of the charm. Swapping in a battery feels like reloading a weapon (especially the 9 cells).
16 GiB is usable in 2022, with exotic upgrade options for CPU (you can go to Ivy Bridge via a BIOS flash (!)), and external GPUs are an option as well (PCMIA !!!). There are 1080p screen retrofit kits, with the main liability going forward probably being the reliability of third-party 9 cell batteries.
It does but fwiw the T420s has one. I'm pretty sure you can get Express Card USB 3 ports too.
>even with the "good" 900p screen it wasn't very good with awful viewing angles
Very true. Fortunately it's a simple procedure to replace the panel with a cheap 1080p one from Aliexpress. Make sure you get the controller too.
I recently had the same thought I did then: what if I got another X61?!
It's really disappointing that Lenovo's Thinkpad division went with a Macbook-ification of the product line, though I understand why they did.
One thing I discovered: Thinkpad sells external USB & bluetooth keyboards that have the pointing stick. They're based on the newer Thinkpad keyboard design but it was a nice enough compromise for me that I went for it.
- it--and its slight upgrade the X61--run hot, and nothing you do (shielding, thermal paste) really helps enough.
- they guzzle power, perf per watt is very bad, and Atoms are faster.
- no AES accel :(
Strongly recommend going for the full-fat X220. The only dealbreaker there IMO is no 4k@60fps external monitor support.